La Redota - Historia de Artigas (2011) Movie Script

Year 1800... and a few Spanish, Portuguese, British, Dutch and French still kill... still die to rule over the peoples of South America Taking advantage of the Napoleonic invasions that have put Europe upside down in the ransacked colonies, those who seek to end the domination arise. And it's in the South, around Montevideo that the creator myth of the Uruguayan nation, is born. Artigas Year 1800... and a lot. From him, they remembered some thoughts, some sentences, but there was no image to represent him. This is the story of how Blanes, the renowned painter created, based on the legend of Artigas, his portrait. ...and it ceases before your sovereign presence. My authority... My authority comes from you! ...and it ceases before your sovereign presence! Montevideo, 1884 My authority... Here... My authority comes from you... My authority... Mercy forthe defeated! Quotations... quotations... My authority comes from you... ...and it ceases before your sovereign presence. I won't sell the rich heritage of the Orientals... ...at the low price of necessity. You'll have to sell the heritage, and other stuff... Rent's two months overdue. Quotations... Master! Did you even ask how much are they going to pay us? I won't sell the rich heritage of the Orientals... ...at the low price of necessity. And... Who is Artigas? He's got only quotations... Just quotations... lt needs something more tangible... Ah! Here's something. Drawings! What are these drawings? They look like a letter U. Master, what does it mean? U... lt doesn't matter! They're drawings! Now we're talking. BUENOS AIRES Buenos Aires, 1812 72 years before A soIdier of Spain... Your soIdier... Lost in the mess that is this Iiberated Buenos Aires, a city that betrayed Spain. A loyaIist soldier here makes no sense, he has no fIag anymore. My onIy sense now... ...is win you back. House of Government of Buenos Aires Goodbye, my Iove. Don't let them torture me any more, Father... I already told everything I know. I am no priest. Surely, you know me. I am Manuel de Sarratea, one of the three who rule this territory, free from Spanish rule for two years now. But you'll understand... this was the only way I could meet you. We finally have your real name, Don lgnacio Caldern de la Segua, christian, born in Madrid in 1777. Joined the army at seventeen and served with honor in the war against Napoleon. Ln 1809 was appointed Captain of Cavalry and sent to the Colonies... to do special services in military information. Well... a spy... So far, everything's logic, a qualified, loyal soldier. But then the unexpected happens: You assault, rob and kill the most important courier that the artiguists had. Lt's clear as water you want to desert. And you need moneyforthat. But, precisely that money? Today, we face very few options. One, we deliver you to the artiguists, along with the proof that you killed their most prized courier. They cut yourthroat. Two, we submit you to summary justice. And we hang you ourselves, on account of being a murderer, thief, spy and traitor. What do you want? Listen to this: "My authority comes from you... ...and it ceases before your sovereign presence." You know who wrote this? Jos Artigas. And who gave him that authority? Aband of brigands, an army of rotten teeth. Astep back in History. This man decided to withdraw with his miserable troops, to a camp seven days north of Montevideo leaving a trail of destruction on theirway. What do you want me to do? Put this on. Look, Caldern... this man is a permanent threat an authoritarian centaur, sitting on ignorance of the most unhappy, as he calls them, who listen to him as if he were a Prophet. He's the kind of people that will always get in the way of any plan to build a rich, powerful, prosper and just nation. Amad dog will create a mad society. But, when the dog is dead the madness is over. And besides, you're an amateur artist, you draw, and you're not bad at it. In this Iast effort to redeem myseIf, I'll carry you in my souI, my beIoved, bound tight in my dagger. I've hit bottom, I can't get any Iower. This is my Iast assignment, and our Iife depends on it. If aII goes weII, coIIect the reward go back and start everything aII over again, no past, no recriminations. I can't go back, I can onIy escape going forward. WHATWOMAN COULD UNDERSTAND What woman could understand? Montevideo, Iast bastion of our crown and the most distant. Not even our uniform! Roor them... Six months enduring the siege of the artiguists. Doesn't matter, for I'm not one of them anymore. I'm no Ionger Captain Ignacio CaIdern. Now I am... Larra, Guzmn Larra, at your service, Miss. Madam. Look, mister Larra, I understand you. Well, I'm very honored you've come here to ask that of me, a humble subject of the Crown, but... I ask of you to understand me, I just can't. No matter how close I had been with that person... he might've been my suitor, but... I'm afraid a letter from me to Artigas could make your entrance in that camp even more difficult. You don't know what the artiguists have done to our lives. But God has blessed us. He sent us those Portuguese imperial soldiers to end this pest, much worse than the yellow fever. And tell me... How is him, this Artigas? Aresentful, the black sheep of a good family. He teamed up with that rabble because with them he's someone. They listen to him when he speaks, worship him. Typical. He'd rather be a mouse's head than a lion's tail. Lf he were right here with us, he wouldn't know what to say. He'd say trivial nonsense, he'd feel out of place, even. Apermanent threat... demon... an authoritarian centaur... the demon... but dead the dog, the madness is over. An authoritarian centaur. What? Nothing. Now, what interest could an American newspaper possibly have in a character as insignificant asArtigas? I'm interested in... his life, his ideas, his trajectory. Artigas's little sister stayed behind taking care of the family house, just around the corner. Take this letterto her. Did you say you're writing a book about my brother? Not a book, a newspaper article. That's my intention, to write about his life, his past, his youth and most of all about his ideas. And what sort of thing would interest you? Knowing a little about the way he grew up, his environment. Understand... why did he developed those ideas. HIS CHILDHOOD Jos... Jos... Jos... Jos... Jos... HIS BOOKS I wonder if I'm not making this long journeyto find him only to end up empty handed in the end. Why? I understand there's an official in your brother's service who doesn't allow foreign journalists to get in the camp. Who told you that? Rest easy, go there, present your credentials and you'll see, they will let you in. I'm sure they will. So long. Where are you going with that sow? Lt's forthe Governor. Cowardly Goths! I Ieave anyway. Without the Ietter, but with determinatlon. Nothing wiII stop me. In the battIefieIds of Europe, I have kiIIed enemies of Spain. My enemies. In this America I kiIIed traitors, Iike this Artigas. But that doesn't make this mission any Iike the others. This one has a reward, so I can come back to you... ...and win you back. Stop! Are you in a hurry? I'm European, like you. Lf you just let me show you my documents... Guzman Larra... journalist. That's right. Take this to the lieutenant. Let's see what he says. Where are you headed? North. Alone? Alone. Be careful. The indians are just across the river. Lf they get you, they'll eat you. They saythey eat the liver... lt's like a ceremony. They take the liver out of a living person, leave it in the sun to dry and then they eat it. Lf they lay eyes on you, dressed like that, the artiguists... They might take you for a porteo, from BuenosAires. Do you know Artigas? No. The lieutenant... Artigas was a smuggler. After that he was appointed Captain of the Blandengues Regiment, and he and the lieutenant used to hunt smugglers forthe Crown. What do you think of him? Agood soldier of the King, as I understand. Atraitor! As I understand. We're under orders of chopping his head off if we see him. Being a Captain wasn't enough for him, he wanted to be the king of this misery. So? Everything all right. Everything's in order, Don Guzmn. Good luck to you. Thank you. And watch out forthe Portuguese patrols! Dressed like that they might take you for an artiguist creole! My uniform... Where is the border? What woman couId understand her beIoved in this end of the worId? What woman could understand this upslde down worId? Buenos Aires hasrebeIled and now wants to ruIe over this part of South America. To that end, alded by the artiguists they Iaid siege to our waIIed Montevideo. We resisted, and they marched up North On the other side, those cowardIy Rortuguese running away from the mess that is Europe, and fearing their King wiII end up just Iike ours did, and faII into NapoIeon's hands, run away. They instaII a tropicaI empire in Rio de Janeiro, and intend to expand their borders. And this Banda OrientaI, this city of Montevideo, this territory I wiII cross, is what the Rortuguese, Buenos Aires and Artigas want to conquer. What woman couId understand it? If I can bareIy understand it myself. Damn with that black! Mister Larra. On second thought, I have decided to trust you. I'm sure you wiII teII a good and truthfuI story about mi brother Jos. Let me introduce you to Joaquin Lencina, known as Ansina. With him you'II be abIe to enter the camp at Ayu without troubIe. Adrink? Have a safe trip and may God be with you. Martina Artigas. What service do you do for him? I'm his shadow. This man decided to withdraw with his miserable troops, to a camp seven days north of Montevideo. They added everyone theyfound on their way to their numbers. Raping, Iooting, Ieaving behind a traiI of destructlon on the way. And everything under his command. How many days are left? Five. Master, his Excellency, President Mximo Santos. What do you mean with "it's advancing slowly"? Excellency, it is an honorto receive you. Lt means, simply that we lack some materials in orderto... avoid mistakes. What materials? Just invent him! Do you know of a nation without forefathers, mister Blanes? Who was the founder of our nationality? This man said: "Tremble the tyrants for having aroused our anger." "I am not for sale, and I don't want other reward for my efforts than to see mi nation free". Excellency, those are just sentences. Lt's very difficult to paint a portrait based only on quotations, no matter how pretty they might be. This is all we were able to find about General Jos Artigas. I think this, plus what we already gave you should be enough. After that, your imagination. Lt's enough, right? Plus, what we're paying you. Do you know what you're doing? You're painting our Fatherland. You're creating the very cement of a nation! Anation that will reverence, like all the rest. Everyone will reverence Artigas. All the children. What children? All the children. Mine, yours, everyone's. But forthat we need an example of orientality. Areferent, a hero. All the great nations have one. Do you understand? I ask for a face, not a philosophical treatise! And I want it on time! On time! BIessed you are among women, HoIy Mary, Mother of God WHY? No, no, no, no! That water is poisoned. So the Portuguese can't take advantage of it. I beg to the famiIies, do not emigrate. Wait. We wiII come back for you. Jos Artigas. For my dear son, with Iove from yourfather, ZomiIdo. Zomildo... Manrique: Our Iives are rivers that end up in the sea. Lope de Vega: Dying is the root of every passion. CaIderon de Ia Barca: Life is but a dream... and the dreams, dreams are. Come on, CarIos! Leave those books! They're my Iife! My father used to read them to me! Burn them! WHY? WHATFOR? I'm starting to feeI it, and it entices me, it sharpens me... It had never happen before. I've never feIt this way. In objects, in traces, in the pages of these books, I'm starting to know him, Iike a woIffeeIing the scent of his victim. How many days are left? But, and them? His victims, the owners of those books, who are them? Lambs at the mercy of another wolf? What dld he promised them? Why did they Ieave everything behind? It's hard to imagine a caravan of nine hundred wagons. How hard it must have been, five months in the open... dispossessed, with chiIdren, women, eIderIy peopIe... Eight thousand peopIe. Going away not knowing lf they couId ever go back. How did he trick them? Who's Artigas's worst enemy? The Spanish? The Portuguese? BuenosAires? The British? Traitors. InsoIent bIack man! Traitors. Artigas saying it himseIf. What has he done, besldes betrayaI? HIS BATTLES When he wanted the merit he defended us and stands out but when we're vuInerabIe, in disarray he attacks us and prevaiIs. He doesn't cut the prisioner's throats, because he can't stand to look at them in the eye. It's not for cIemency. It's because in their eyes he sees that he's a traitor himseIf. That's why he hates them. BRITISH INVASIONS LAS RIEDRAS Two battIes. A two-dime Captain. Tomorrow at noon we'll arrive to the Ayu river. To our Redota. What Redota? You mean defeat, you ignorant. You defeated yourseIves when you retired to that camp. But not me. There won't be any more defeat for me. Tomorrow I'II stand in front of him and fuIfiII my mission. The wait is over. I'm there. Light my fire, love. Ansina! Ansina is here! Ansina is here! What do you bring, friend? Ansina! Ansina has arrived! Give me your credentials, I'll introduce you... Do you know that a man, one singIe man, can end it aII? The deviI. Pancracio! What's that Goth doing standing there? Get him settled! And deliver those letters, please! Come with me, sir. I work for an American newspaper but I'm Spanish. Sorry. Oh, I see. All right... Get yourself settled, then. Anything you need, you know... you just have to ask. And surely here you won't be lacking things to write about. - Excuse me. - Thank you. Lady, good afternoon. There's mail for you. Good afternoon. You want a piece of bread, partner? Want some water? Let's move along. Pancra... Pancracio is your name, isn't it? Yes, Pancracio. Pleased to meet you. Couldn't you put me somewhere else? I don't think I'll be very comfortable here, you know? No. This is the best, most comfortable place I got, because... is good people. You have water, you have food. Everything. Isn't there a place closerto Artigas? Because that would be very important for my job, you know? Artigas stays anywhere, whereverthe night finds him. People! Would you help me make a tent forthe partner here? Where, Pancracio? Here! Yes, over here, exactly. Cut it first. The tent is ready. You like it? I sure do, Pancracio. Let me put my stuff inside. All right, let me help you. It's perfect. Perfect then. You rest easy. This is your home. But, what do we Spaniards came here to do in the first pIace? Here there is neither the siIver of Rotosi nor the gold of Mexico. Just some Ioose cattIe and this human waste, this sub-species... What do we get from here? It doesn't matter, I have my own way to "make the America" Here, just Iike in Mexico and Rotosi, we came to get rich and get back. And I wiII do just that. Wait for me. Eat... Thank you. Eat, you'll like it. Just don't ask what it is. They alreadytold me. Lt's yamb, isn't it? You'll see miss, I'm a journalist. Yes, I know, from North America. Well, yes. How did you know? News travel fast around here. I'm sorry... Do you want some? ...assault and take the city. French losses are total. They duplicate those of the allies. There are no more doubts, the British crown seeks to regain the lost colony. Widow, looks for a guy who can fish. Here we have... Who can fish, here? Here we have a fisherman! Fishermen we have plenty, mate! Stay still. Stay very still. Don't move a finger. Do you know how we deal with traitors around here? You know, don't you? I'm talking to you. Countryman! Come on, my man! Don't look at me like that, it's all a joke. Lt's not me you have to fear. I'm just interested in your dagger. Good handle, good blade. I never dreamed of having one of these, countryman. Maybe you could give it to me... No, I can't. Why not? Lt belonged to my elders, and... Really? I was joking... here, have your knife. And welcome to the town, countryman. Hey kids! Take this one to meet Ferreira. Pleased to meet you. Good luck. (Guarani) One, write it. Plus two. There's three. Guzmn Larra, from The lndependent, a newspaperfrom Boston. Miguel Ferreira, from the family of the boss, and his secretary. Priest Fernando. Have you eaten yet? No, not yet. Aplate here, please! Thanks. Afine newspaper. How interesting! ASpaniard writing for them. Well, yes. Apart of the world crumbles, another raises. There are many subjects here for a writer. The food... Thank you very much. My thing is drawings, really. I'm expected to turn out a text to go with them, but I'm paid forthe drawings, mainly. I try to capture what's going on here. Tell me... I imagined Artigas somewhat older. He must be, if I'm not mistaken, around fifty. Yes, that's right. When did you meet him? Afew hours ago, when I got here. No, you came from overthere. That's odd, the boss hasn't been around here for a few days. I saw a commanderwhen I arrived, I thought it was him. You must be talking about Captain Martinez. The boss... Excuse me, please. Here anyone is Artigas. Are you asking of me to? Just invent him, dammit! I'm authorizing you to create our Fatherland! Or maybe aII of them are Artigas? Does he exist? He exists. In the imaginatlon of aII this peopIe. This Iost, cornered peopIe. When they feIt betrayed Ieft to their own resources, they needed a boss. In these peopIe's simpIe head, Iike chiIdren's, it works Iike a myth, for them, instructive, ...for us, a waII that stops the future. Now I'm afraid if you kiII one, Iike the seven-headed hydra, another six wiII turn up. It seems this hydra is caIIed Artigas. He is the gaucho, the bIack, the creoIe, the indian. Now I want you to know one of our campfires. The Council, as we call it. Excuse me... There's no danger here, this is a military camp. Yes, but we have families. We want to know if there's any danger. There is no danger! Besides, an armistice has been signed. Lt will be respected. Martinez, you're the one talking nonsense now. Since when the Portuguese have respected any treaties? We need to know the real situation we're in. We are like we are. And Artigas, will he come today? I wouldn't know. Captain Jos Artigas, you son of a bitch! (Guarani) Where have you been? What's going on, woman! I wasn't born to share my man with an indian whore! Hush, hush... Not you, Goth! So, you're the journalist my sister wrote me about. Did you find her well? Yes. Yes, very well. L, uh... I don't know if someone told you, but I've come to... To tell all about this, I suppose. Yes... yes... I wanted to talk about several matters with you. With me? Yes. You're the General, here, after all. I am whateverthey want. Ask them. Don't be mistaken. Lf you're going to tell the truth, talk to them. Coming! I hope you have everything, food, shelter. Have a good night. La Redota - The still exodus. Traitors! What are they doing here! Bastards! Traitors! Fucking Portuguese! Fucking Portuguese! Want some? Thanks. I already ate. I thought you were hungry. No, thank you. Do you like horses? Yes, a lot. Did you know these? No. These are from the Portuguese. Artigas captured them, with the help of the natives. He goes to the tribe, And there they give him all the information, when and where. Ln the creek, or in the pass, they tell him... Here's another camp, with five hundred horses. To go in the early morning, and capture them. He's part of them. How he tricks them! He teIIs them he went out in the morning to steaI horses. When he was reaIIy hunting hostages. Those Rortuguese hostages, to use as a shieId. He's trying to protect himseIf. Roor peopIe! How they have been deceived! - Come on, CarIos! Leave those books! - They are my Iife! WHY? Or I wonder why? Why dld they Ieave it aII behind? Why did they foIIow him? Because we were afraid, Jos. That's whywe chose you as our leader. They aren't ordinary soldiers. Didn't you see the badges they had? Sort of like dragons. Those dragons will be of use heating waterto drink mate, right? Always with your silly jokes, you. Obviously you've never saw the savagery those Portuguese are capable of. You don't care about anything! What do you mean, I don't care, Carlos? I'm here, am I not? We've gone into a dead end. What are we going to do now? Ask for help. Let's draft a request... I asked you. I told you clear as day! You shouldn't have emigrated! You're civilians. You should've never gotten mixed up with an army! What's that about a request? I think we could say something like... Seeing all the troubles we have been trough since the invasion of Spain by Napoleon Bonaparte... Not Spain! Put "our Motherland", it's more respectful. ...and the abdication of our King Ferdinand Vll... God save him! Our King Ferdinand Vll, may God save him... our King Ferdinand Vll, may God save him... and seeing that, according to the armistice, the Portuguese were supposed to withdraw from the Banda Oriental but instead of doing so... I don't understand. What's the point of this? To send it to whom? What's the point? What do you mean, what's the point? To send it to the High Courts. Lambs, at the mercy of a woIf in Iamb skin. RIaying the buiIders. Of what? What we need to do is to appoint an ambassador. An ambassadorwho goes... we are a country, aren't we? Who goes to represent us, to Rio de Janeiro and talks to the Portuguese, and grants us... an armistice. But how are we going to negotiate with Portugal? We are Spanish! Our capital is Madrid. How are we going to make a deal with Portugal? We were Spanish, Carlos! Were. Now we can be whateverwe want. We can be British... or French... Orwe could be us. What "us"? What do you mean by "us"? Americans. Like Buenos Aires? And who will be our King? An American king? ARepublic. Without a king! That would be... anarchy! Carlos, I thought you would have more trust in your people. Gentlemen... we are a little country at the edge of the world. We are alone. We're not alone, LuisAntonio. We're surrounded! Surrounded by many provinces that sufferthe same as us. This time I'm not mistaken. It's him! He is the setback of History. Of course! Like this, a camping people, we're fragile. Vulnerable. But together... lmagine! We could be a continental army! Gentlemen. We are a power! We'll get the reinforcements from Paraguay. And we'll besiege Montevideo again! Demagogue. He says he respects the King, but is anti-monarchy. Says he abides by Buenos Aires, but he disobeys it. He doesn't know who his enemies are, but I know who's mine. This is perhaps my Iast drawing. WiII anyone ever see them? It doesn't matter. This is my ticket to find you. Today I fulfiII mi mission... and be on my way. Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. But, when the dog is dead... the madness is over. Do you know how we deaI with traitors around here? Ready the platoon! Company! March! Larra! Follow me! Ready! Aim! Fire! My General invites you to see... How do you do? How are you? I'm fine. Would you like a piece of asado? Yes, please. I'm hungry. Aim! Fire! HIS CHILDREN Of Iooking for you over and over... of trying to find and put together aII your pieces, of not being abIe to see you whoIe, of aII that... I'm tired. I'm fragiIe, I Iost my bearings, I have no sense, and thus I faiI. That's why I am what I have become. What is it? Let me see you! Let me know about you! Let me know of my Spain! Don't lower your eyes, Fernando. Lt can't be! Listen to this! The General Court of Spain, with the King being a prisoner, have just promulgated a First Constitution! They call it La Pepa... La Pepa? The Spanish Nation is free an independent. And it is not, nor can it be the property of any family or person. Listen to this other! "Those who advise or help him in any attempt of these acts are hereby declared traitors and will be prosecuted as such". God damn it! But this is a revolution! This will change a lot our plans. This complicates things a lot. With a revolution in Spain, the Portuguese won't stop until the Andes. My friends, it's urgent, now more than ever to send a peace mission to deal with the Portuguese. We negotiate, get our lands back, and nobody loses anything. Here, the only one who has anything to lose is you! You just care about your lands, you! No, we all lose. Were are you going to work? We want freedom, while you care about your cows and stuff. The best protection for our people is a Constitution like this one! One that would guarantee them their rights as citizens! Right you are, Miguel! We are in dire need of that legal certainty too, to secure the lands we labored so hard to maintain! These lands have always been our lands! Please, LuisAntonio! All of you have gone crazy! We can't go anywhere! Lf we go back to Montevideo they'll hang us fortreason! Lf we stay here, the Portuguese will kill us! And you keep arguing about... papers! Did you get any information out of the Portuguese prisoners? Do we know when the weapons from Paraguay will arrive? When will they arrive? This protest must be a proclamation. Like this one, inspired by La Pepa? Like La Pepa, orthe Constitution of the United States Or France. Let's learn from those who know, the civilized peoples. Not like the ones here, where we are surrounded by brutish gauchos, indians, illiterates Not gauchos, Luis Antonio! There are no gauchos here. There are peasants. Get that through your head! Prove it, Jos. Prove it to me! What has this people done? Besides killing a few cows and a few royalists. We are all here together because we destroyed something, Jos not for creating something. No one here has created anything! Look, LuisAntonio! Here, neitherthe poorest... northe richest... is betterthan the other! Here... no one is more than other! No one is more than other! With that freedom, I don't offend norfear. Pity of the people who depends on a name... or on a man. Poor wretched soul! HIS CHILDREN House of Government of Buenos Aires Do I leave these over here? Yes, leave them there. News from Artigas? Nothing, my lord Sarratea. Nothing yet. Yeah... just with a knife it will be difficult. We have to find anotherway. Send him a gun. What kind of gun, sir? Agun, a small gun! Comfortable, easy to handle. Agun! Send it with someone! Those musicians maybe. General! Pepe! Ten Paraguayan carts! Must be ourweapons! Yes! Let's go meet them! Should I have your horse saddled? No, no! I'll just grab whichever horse is available. (Guarani) Who is GeneralArtigas? I am! How do you do, my General? I am Lieutenant Vega I bring you salutations from Captain Fulgencio, and from the President of the Paraguayan Ruling Junta. How are my brothers from Paraguay? I don't understand the Paraguayans! How can they do this to us! We asked for guns, ammunition, powder... And look what they brought us! Ten carts full of tobacco, of yerba mate! What do they think we are? They are friends, General. They send us what they can. Friends! But we don't need any friends, Martinez! We need allies! Allies, god damn it! A toast! To our Paraguayan brothers and to theirwise government! Tonight there will be singing and dancing in every corner of this camp! Sir! I know you, don't l? Your name is Calderon, right? Military, right? No, journalist. Ah, from BuenosAires. No, I'm Spanish. Can't you tell? I thought... You're mistaken. Excuse me. Before you leave, you'll have the head of the culprit. So you can deliver it to his Excellency. That will be my act of reparation. And also a letter, thanking him forthe yerba and the tobacco. Why did you do it? What did I do? Don't fuck with me, Pancracio. Don't fuck with me. I didn't do anything... Martinez! What's this? Lt's... my knife. What is on it? Blood... My blood! What did you do last night, Pancracio? I don't remember anything... I was... so drunk... So who should I ask, then? Your knife? Will it remember betterthan you? But I'm... innocent. I don't know if I carried a knife, I don't remember anything. Prepare the platoon. Wait Martinez! You know what you mean to me, don't you? Yes. Get out of the camp. I don't want to go... I have nowhere to go. Don't fuck with me anymore, Pancracio! I don't want to go... I have nowhere... Go away, Pancracio! Now! They'll throw me to the Portuguese! General... I'm leaving. How many men are you taking with you? Fourteen men, with their horses, sir. Don't look down, Martinez. What weapons are you carrying? None, sir. The weapons rest here with you. You'll need them the most. I appreciate it. I hope l don't see you in the battlefield. Never! Never, sir! How many men think like Martinez? How could you let him go? He told me he wasn't going to take anything with him. And you believed him, about the fourteen men? He was a man of my confidence. He took an entire troop, Jos. Men, horses, weapons. And our money. The army's money. Of our army, Jos! Don't look down... (Guarani) lt's Pancracio's body! The Portuguese tortured him badly. May he rest in peace... in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen. Our Father, who is in heaven Holy is your name Your kingdom come, Yourwill be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us ourtrespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen. Father. Do you have a moment for me? Of course. I need to confess. Come with me. People! What have you done that you want God to forgive? I have killed, father. I am not whom l claim to be. In truth, l don't know who l am anymore. Since you have taken life... give life to this people! In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen. I am whatever they want. Ask them. Easy, easy. The payadas are about to begin. Two payadores came from Buenos Aires, to face two locals. Each one will defend the ideals of their land. With your applause, here they are... Go ahead, payadores! Excuse me if I am too forward I came to the Banda OrientaI because I find it is wrong what you guys are doing here. Excuse me if I offend you in your defeated spirit I just want to get sIeepIess this artiguist payador. This porteo payador sureIy thinks high of himseIf acts just Iike if he owned this Iand and what is on it. Artigas toId me a dream It's caIIed FederaIism You sing praise to CentraIism but even if we have less the peopIes must have the right to be ruled just by themseIves. Don't you start now digging, mate because I came here to teII to the rhythm of what I feeI you have to have self confidence and you have to Iook for hope so, joining us is the way. I'm not singing out of spite but Iet me be very cIear with this, my forward stanza and I hope you won't suspect it He who was burned with hot miIk just by seeing the cow, cries. I'm fromright here, from the Ayu I teII you for aII I'mworth and that I have strong cIaws that a woman must have here I'm not going to mistreat you I'm not going to demean you But be sure that no porteo wiII come here and humiIiate us. You taIk about a free MotherIand And where has the freedom gone? Don't taIk me about this Artigas in this our IyricaI contest You need to bring here a girI so she can be your defense. You know weII what we have gone through You know weII what we have Iived AII these countrymen they know the importance of how we feeI and we have to move on forward and we have to persevere if we foIIow our ideaIs giants is what we'll become. An emotion over me it makes my heart pound the chest With aII these women and chiIdren it just makes me want to cry. House of Government of Buenos Aires Things are getting complicated. The Spanish that remain here in America are getting desperate. We need to conquer Montevideo. Just imagine... this new Captain General of the Banda Oriental, Governor of Montevideo, has ordered the capital punishment for those who get a letter from Buenos Aires! We cant besiege it by sea. We must do it by land. We will need help. Who better than... ...Artigas. And what do we do about the Spaniard? (Portuguese) Where do you take us? To fight for your freedom. Portuguese bastards! Let's see who's willing to fight to go home, here! How do we know you're not lying? Here we fulfill our promises. I'm in! No! I'll go! It's insanity! Make them pay for Pancracio! Make them pay! Make them pay for Pancracio! Come on, you coward! Let's go! Come on, god dammit! Portuguese son of a bitch! Look me in the eye, you bastard! Piece of shit! Bastards! (Portuguese) Sir! I'm European like you... Help me, for love to our chivalry! I am Marquis Ricardo de Albuquerque. These savages stabbed my brother... He's dying, losing a lot of blood. We need land... land... l need this land... we have rights... And until when? What is the role of the women in la Redota? Well... Jos! Why did we do la Redota for? We need land, for us, for ourfamilies. That's how we're going to build the new Motherland! The land should be for those who deserve it. But we're going to give a chance for everyone who's here All who are here will have the same opportunity to work. The land was ours. They took it over. Took it away from us. Me and my family... no one ever gave us anything. Everything l have l earned working. As long as inheritance exists, it's going to be the same. They'll inherit the land to their children, and grand children. We want freedom. We must learn from our natives. They are teaching us how to live in harmony with the meadow for thousands of years. Inheritance is immoral, and unfair! Inheritance delays the advance of History! We need to protect the port of Maldonado! All we produce and sell goes trough it! So, l broke my back working all my life for the sake of my children, and you want to take my land away when l die! Right! They need to start all over again! And what will be of my land? Lt'll go to people like him! Who's going to rule the other provinces? GoId... gold... gold! GoId and siIver, that's what we came here to find. That was our EI Dorado, the one we Iooted for. And in exchange we gave them the bIood of their own chiIdren. The same land they have is the one we should have... more divided! GoId... goId and more goId! It's shining bIinded us, and we didn't see it. Without king, without a king, who's going to rule overthem? To defend our land! As Artigas had toId me... it was them. The reaI weaIth of this Iand is... this peopIe! This mix! This chaos! A muItitude of ideas, of contrasts! Confused desires! Dreams! We all deserve to have a piece of land. Each one will do whatever he wants with the inheritance. I'm not going to work the land! These ones over here are the ones who will work the land! Like this, they will work! - Only one says he doesn't want to work! - Yeah, yeah - Who of us doesn't want to work? - We do want to work! But, how to get together aII those dreams? How to harmonize this chaos, aII these desires? Without the use offorce... without the gaIlows? Without bIoodshed? How to do it without kiIIing ourseIves in the process? Here, we have the monarchy. The House of Bourbon, the one we served, the one we fought for. And we did it because we thought it was the best system. We didn't know any other. Up to here there was only one religion allowed. And we thought all the rest to be infidels. And we thought that would never change. Up to here we believed in a central government, strong and almighty. Here we have the woman. Used by the man, only allowed to speak whispering. And we thought that to be the truth. Up to here we held the firm belief that Europe and the settlers knew betterthan our aboriginal peoples and so, had right over their lives. Here we have the unfair world, where one people work for others who believe themselves superior. And we thought it would never change. Up to here, the world as we know it! Here lies the border! But beyond that, we know nothing! HIS BOOKS And that's the world we have to reinvent! That's the world we have to conquer! Where the most unhappywill be the most privileged! And nobody is more than anybody else! La Redota! No one is more than other! Long live the Motherland! REDOTA (Portuguese) General! Aweapon, please! Mercy! Aweapon, please! By God! You go, Guzmn... This Spaniard is a spy. Sent by the Crown to kill Artigas. His name is Caldern. L have the proof there. Months later, the artiguists and BuenosAires forces... laid siege to Montevideo once again. Spain, defeated, left that region of South America for ever. For a couple of years, Artigas ruled a quarter of South America. But, unyielding and betrayed, he had to go to the exile in Paraguay. There he lived on for thirty years. There he died, forgotten. Until many years later, when the painter Blanes brought him back from oblivion. Gold... GoId and more goId. The reaI weaIth of this Iand is this peopIe. This peopIe. And those civiIians? It was them, this peopIe, this mix, this chaos. What's with these lice ridden folk? The muItitude of ideas, of contrasts... This vulgar people! But why is he in that wilderness? Lt is his universe, Excellency. Gauchos, indians, blacks, women, creoles, horses, trees... Where did you get this from? From the material you took to my studio, Excellency. Those were the only portraits contained there. And here you have it. All right, Blanes. Now, it is no more. It is gone. Disappeared. I won't stand forthis bullshit, Blanes! He is the General of the Fatherland, not some filthy rebel! And l want that painting done in a month! One month Blanes. VuIgar peopIe! Lice ridden! Lice ridden... Bullshit... General... VuIgar peopIe... VuIgar peopIe! Reo-pIe... Lice ridden! FiIthy rebeI... Vulgar. FiIthy rebeI... FiIthy rebeI... fiIthy rebeI... Filthy rebel. General... general... Master... Master... REDOTA U! U! And this is the worId we have to conquer! Books... His books... Utopia! HIS BOOKS UTOPIA "Utopia" by Thomas More U! General... "Artigas in the Citadel of Montevideo" By Juan Manuel Blanes (1884) Today, thousands of reproductions of this portrait of Artigas by Blanes decorate schools, public buildings, embassies, consulates... While the one who inspired the painting, the Artigas each one imagines lives on in the hearts and minds of all the Uruguayans. Artigas - La Redota President Mximo Santos, painted by Blanes "The review of the troops", 1885 (detail)